Chapter 4.1 – The Snowman Thief

Upon hearing the news that a knight had run away with his youngest daughter, the Marquis of Thruella would undoubtedly be enraged and release all his forces to capture them. They needed to go somewhere he could never find them.

“Should we cross the border? If we escape to the Empire, even the Marquis of Thruella wouldn’t be able to chase us, would he?”

Heizen’s thoughts grew increasingly extreme. Fortunately, he couldn’t act on those dangerous ideas immediately, as news arrived that the Western Empire was advancing north to attack Boeur. 

In response to King Loen’s summons, half of Troskan’s forces were dispatched to Boeur, and Heizen was among them. For a man whose heart had just awakened to love and was burning with passion, it was a cruel twist of fate. However, for Rizle, who might have been abducted by Heizen while doing nothing, it was a stroke of luck.

Though Heizen was thrown into war, he felt no fighting spirit. He fought merely to survive, but his efforts were half-hearted. His thoughts were consumed with returning to Troskan to see Rizle again.

Unfortunately, the war situation was dire. The Empire’s army continued to break through the defensive lines with unstoppable force. Rumors even spread that King Loen had abandoned the royal capital and fled to Troskan Castle.

“At this rate, it’s only a matter of time before Loen falls!”

The atmosphere among the troops was grim. Many had already prepared for death and written their wills. Amidst this, Heizen foolishly wished that the defensive line would keep retreating until it reached Troskan Castle. 

Blinded by love, the foolish man failed to consider that Rizle might also be in danger if the Imperial forces weren’t stopped. He realized this only when he was stationed in the abandoned royal capital, preparing to face the Empire’s army.

“Troskan is under attack!”

Upon hearing this report, the command immediately set out for Troskan. Heizen, now desperate, prayed fervently for Rizle’s safety and for the Marquis of Thruella to hold out.

“It’s an ambush!”

On the way to Troskan, the Imperial army lay in ambush. Caught off guard, Loen’s forces were utterly devastated, as if their backbone had been severed. 

Heizen, determined to reach Troskan and Rizle, felt an inexplicable surge of energy within him. When he regained his senses, he had become a savior to Albert, rescuing him from death.

“I’ll never forget that I owe you my life.”

Heizen hadn’t consciously intended to save Albert; it simply happened while fighting off the Imperial forces that stood in his way. Nonetheless, he didn’t bother to clarify this point.

Albert was Rizle’s older brother. It was advantageous for Heizen to leave a good impression on her family. Perhaps Albert would naively defend him later, claiming that Heizen wasn’t the type to commit theft.

Thus, Heizen fought like a madman. He realized that, one way or another, the war had to end first. He fought with such ferocity that he couldn’t even tell whether he was cutting down allies or enemies, relying solely on instinct. His relentless fighting began to change how others perceived him, but he didn’t care. His only concern was Rizle in Troskan.

When the war finally ended, Heizen let out a roar.

“Uraaaaahhh!”

As he knelt on the ground, raised his arms to the sky, and screamed, people around him were astonished.

“Even Sir Heizen, who rarely do it, shows emotions!”

The spectacle was interpreted as the heartfelt expression of a great knight who had defended the nation, moving many to tears. However, Heizen was simply overjoyed at the thought of finally being able to see Rizle again.

Just as he hadn’t corrected Albert’s misunderstanding earlier, Heizen made no effort to clarify his true feelings. No one, not even Albert, suspected that Heizen harbored feelings for Rizle.

“I can finally return to my wife. Come to think of it, you’re still unmarried, aren’t you? Do you have someone you like? I recommend proposing as soon as you return. Otherwise, people around you will start pestering you.”

Albert, unaware of anything, sincerely offered his advice. 

The reason no one knew Heizen’s true feelings was simple: he had kept his love for Rizle a secret. He had never shared his feelings with anyone, partly because he wasn’t used to discussing such matters, but there was a bigger reason. Like him, many of those around him were destined to receive rewards for their contributions in the war.

This meant they could potentially become rivals for Rizle’s hand. While some might already know her, those who didn’t posed an even greater risk. If word spread that “Heizen likes Rizle Thruella,” others might grow curious about her. Once they discovered her brilliance, it would only be a matter of time before they fell for her.

“Thank you for the advice. I’ll propose to her as soon as possible.”

Feeling elated, Heizen subtly hinted that he had someone in mind. Albert laughed heartily and patted his back.

“I was thinking of introducing you to my sister if you didn’t have anyone, but it seems you’re a man after all! Who’s the lucky woman receiving your love, Sir Heizen?”

Of course, Heizen didn’t reveal that it was Rizle. Instead, he smiled faintly and silently answered in his heart: “Your sister.”

After declaring that he would propose to her as soon as possible, Heizen eagerly prepared to return to Troskan. However, reality proved to be less accommodating.

First, he had to visit the royal capital to receive his title and land. He didn’t resent this, as it was necessary to provide for her. In fact, he boldly requested land in the southern region from King Loen.

“I’ll consider it positively.”

Heizen trusted those words and felt relieved. While he hoped for Kabakia, he knew it was unlikely. Such a prized territory wouldn’t be given away. Still, he wished for something as close to Kabakia as possible.

To his shock, King Loen granted him Boeur—a strategic location on the Empire’s path into Loen. It was the worst possible land, as the Emperor, despite signing a truce, could resume his invasion at any time. This was when Heizen first sensed that his plans were beginning to unravel.

Still, he tried to adjust. Rizle didn’t have to live in Boeur. She could reside in Kabakia as she had during her vacation. Fortunately, King Loen had provided him with enough wealth to purchase a mansion.

“This is where we part ways.”

Heizen realized his plans had truly fallen apart when Albert bid him farewell at the banquet following the awards ceremony.

“I can’t wait to see my family, so I’ll leave early tomorrow morning. If you ever need my help, don’t hesitate to contact me, Sir Heizen—or should I say, Count Warkliber.”

Albert smiled bittersweetly. Heizen, however, couldn’t smile at all.

That’s right. Heizen was no longer the Marquis of Thruella’s knight. As the newly appointed Count of Warkliber and lord of Boeur, he no longer had any pretext to return to Troskan.

To steal Rizle Thruella, he first needed to meet her.

“My younger sibling haven’t married yet. Some families have already started proposing, but I’ll discuss it with Father when I return.”

Albert delivered the worst news to the stunned Heizen. While he couldn’t care less about Gilbert’s marriage, Rizle’s marriage was an entirely different matter.

Heizen suppressed the urge to grab Albert and shout.

“I’d like to go with you. I want to thank the Marquis of Thruella for everything.”

“Hm? You can do that later.”

Desperate to find a way to see Rizle, Heizen tried to come up with an excuse, but Albert rejected it.

“If I take you to Troskan now, every family will blame me. You’re the most popular man right now.”

Albert didn’t want to be resented and suggested that Heizen express his gratitude later. Left with no choice, Heizen began brainstorming other ways.

As Albert returned alone to Troskan, Heizen racked his brain and finally came up with an excuse.

“I still have belongings left in Troskan. I’d like to retrieve them.”

“There’s no excuse as trivial yet compelling as this.”

Satisfied with his plan, Heizen began preparing to head to Troskan. There wasn’t much to pack; claiming to retrieve belongings meant he couldn’t bring too much. Moreover, to steal Rizle and escape, he needed to travel light.

Heizen only needed one thing—a ring to give to Rizle. He commissioned the ring to be made as quickly as possible, urging the jeweler to finish it sooner. Thanks to the impatient Count Warkliber’s constant pressure, the craftsman promised to complete it within a week.

Even so, to the increasingly anxious Heizen, a week felt like an eternity. What if the Marquis of Thruella decided to marry Rizle off to someone else in the meantime? Oh, the thought alone was too dreadful to bear.

With the ring taken care of, Heizen’s next task was to address the truly troublesome issues.

“The repairs on the castle walls are falling behind schedule.”

Heizen clicked his tongue as he surveyed the construction halted by the relentless rain. The butler, unsure of what to do, bowed even deeper, his back already curved like a shrimp.

“Have them focus on the sections visible from the front first.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Has there been any word from Kabakia?”

“They are still searching for a villa that meets your conditions, my lord.”

It was frustrating. How long had it been since he sent people out to search? The butler, sensing Heizen’s displeasure, looked apologetic.

“It seems the secrecy of the search is causing delays.”

Purchasing a villa, especially one requiring a significant sum of money, wasn’t as simple as just having the funds. First, they needed to find properties for sale, and introductions to such properties could only come from well-connected locals.

If Heizen Warkliber declared his intention to purchase a villa, many options would likely be presented. However, Heizen had explicitly forbidden the use of his name, insisting that it must never be revealed—under no circumstances.

If his name and origins had to be concealed, even securing introductions became a challenge. After all, no one wanted a suspicious stranger moving into their neighborhood.

Thus, the only way forward was to deal with people who had something to hide themselves. Of course, this increased the risk of being scammed, so caution was necessary.